The buzz is mega with some of Australia and New Zealand’s most loved authors and illustrators as delegates – Sarah Davis, Libby Hathon, Stephen Axelson, Corinne Fenton, Claire Saxby, Mark Greenwood, Dianne Wolfer, Sally Murphy, James Foley, Meredith Costain ….. and more ….
and then there’s Frane Lessac fighting off crocodiles to get from fremantle WA to Sydney!!!!!
Look out for the brilliant creators of Looking for Alibrandi and Jellico Road; Diary of a Wombat;Star Girl and Boy Versus Beast
Guess who they are?
Melina Marchetta
Bruce Whatley
Louise Park
And there’s more – Australia’s best publishers and editors from most publishing houses
And there’s more – US Senior editor from Roaring Brook (Pan MacMillan) USA
And there’s more – some of the best of Australia and New Zealand’s illustrators in the Illustrator Showcase
And there’s more – launches, illustrator’s duel, Christmas Press limited edition prizes; and there more …. and then the SCBWI BAND – dinner party sing along with the fabulous Meredith Costain, James Foley on the guitar with Scott Chambers and Chris Cheng
…….
The post Gorge yourself on authors, illustrators, kids’ books industry ~ SCBWI Conference at The Hughenden appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.
It’s the start of 2014 & it’s drop in time before the crazy life of writing tours, events, festivals , school visits, media …. start seriously.
Where’s the drop in centre? You guessed it -The Hughenden.
I loved catching up with:-
-the award winning Albany (WA) Dianne Wolfer whose Lighthouse Girl & Lighthouse Boy (Fremantle Press) are best sellers!
- Monica Lizama the Chilean-Australian writer who dresses up as her character PAWS!
- Jennie Orchard with Margaret Wilcox from Room to Read who are developing the Writer Ambassador programme to raise awareness of the need to educate the kids of Asaa and Africa. SCBWI is on board with lots of our authors taking on the role of ambassadors.
- Libby Hathorn dropping in with her poetry books and she’s got a new book coming out with HarperCollins on ANZACS.
- Chris Cheng with Bini getting ready to head off to New York for the SCBWI Conference and then Bologna Book Fair …. and other favourite creators!
And I’m getting my spangles ready to hit Las Vegas for the I AM JACK season at the Smith Center of performing Arts!\
I’m staying at the EXCALIBUR HOTEL, so getting into princess gear … their could be some princes there. or toads!
The post Love, love, love the community of kids’ books!!! appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.
How do you feeling about our crazy life?
Ask the PUG!!!!!!
Can any more events, parties, book fairs, get togethers …. be squished into the 4 weeks before December’s Christmas!!!!!!
It’s on … we’re heading for the turkey and an almighty crash!
Diary of November 2013:-
- Celebrations of Hazel Edwards receiving an Order of Australia – YEAH!
- MC for SCBWI’s INSIDE STORY with our loved authors & illustrators at The Children’s Book Beecroft telling the inside story of creating their books including Deborah Abela, Tony Flowers, Yvette Poshoglian, Jan Latta, Christopher Cheng and more.
- Lunch with assistant editor of School Magazine - LOVE Sue Murray - a talented playwright as well as editor
- Sharon Rundle editor and friend and I went off to the launch of ’A Country Too Far’ at Glee Books- caught up with professor Elizabeth Webby and Tom Keneally, Rosie Scott and others.
- brilliant theatre at the opening at The Ensemble of ‘Rapture Blister Burn’
- catching up with my favourite actor Tim McGarry to talk about the I AM JACK USA tour for 2014
- Society of Women Writers’ at the State Library – lunch and collect a prize for ‘Ships in the Field’ – lovely
- Christmas celebrations at the CBCA lunch Northern Branch – catching up with children’s laureate Alison Lester and fabulous illustrator Sarah Davis
-Unleased Writers Festival in Sydney – loved speaking about the journey of writing with the audience
- post Unleashed Festival shared the book industry over dinner with publisher Paul Collins and author James Roy
- I’m the prize on e-bay for the UNLEASHED FESTIVAL! Talented author Mo Johnson won me – well a mini mentorship!
- Caught up with Sue Meyer at the Francis Keevil Gallery to se Sue’s beautiful art
- lunching with the fabulous authors Meredith Costain & Louise Park for Christmas cheer
- dinner with my wonderful publisher Lisa Berryman from HarperCollins to share news and my new book JACK 4 – yet untitled!
- coffee with Jesse Blackadder – love her last book STAY the last dog in Antartica -at The Hughenden who’s down in Sydney for a minute meeting her publishers
- my darling friend Kim’s 40th birthday
- the Australian Publisher Association party – sooo good and caught up with the HarperCollins team there.
- speaking at my old school Daceyville’s Creative Writing Festival – aaahhhhh – memories
- Books in Homes committee meeting selecting books for indigenous & disadvantaged kids – great charity
- launching Margaret Roc’s ‘Jellybean Goes to School’ at the Lindfield Learning Hub – lots of jellybeans and love Margaret
- the SCBWI BOOK FAIR at The Hughenden with some of our best ever authors like Sopgie Masson. kate Forsyth, Belinda Murrell, Deborah Abela and the lsit goes on.
- at the BOOK FAIR supporting ROOM TO READ www.roomtoread.org – loved seeing Jennie Orchard, Wendy Rapee, Cathy and Margaret and the Room to Read team.
- MC for Susan Wyndham’s talk on her book she edited and contributed to ’My Mother. my Father’ (Allen & Unwin) with authors Margaret Rice and Gerard Windsor – such great wrietrs at The Hughenden. Buy the book for Christmas.
Phew – that’s November!
The post Writers Go Crazy in November as XMAS starts %@# appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.
Loved the SCBWI Conference – :
Brilliant Meg Rostoff who is witty and realistic and more
Shaun Tan who had the audience standing and cheering – a fabulous Australian and world illustrator!
Mo Williams who is definitely a stand up comic
Julie Andrew who had us all humming Sounds of Music
Best selling authors including Bruce Coville, Jane Yolen, Lin Oliver and Theo Baker, Ellen Hopkins …. and more.
Frane Lessac, Chris Cheng and I were there representing the Aussie and New Zealand contingent.
Our fabulous international leader Kathleen Ahrens was there from Hong Kong
The speakers were wonderful, but loved the delegates even more – from all over the USA, Europe and Asia – friends through children’s books
A privilege
Dmitry Kuznichenko layers his art with European culture and Australian sensibility in his evocative work. He joined the SCBWI Christmas party to connect with children’s book writers and illustrators.
It was great to see co RA SCBWI author Christopher Cheng with authors Wendy Blaxland, Jan Latta, Jenny Blackford and Frances Plumpton literary agent and head of New Zealand chapter of SCBWI.
I gave a preview to everyone of my first picture book ‘Ships in The Field’ illustrated by Anna Pignataro, to be released Feb 2012.
Courtney Severini, jazz singer and pianist entertained everyone and it was a wonderful celebratation of the end of the year.
End of year festive sharing and friendship for SCBWI:-
Where: The Hughenden Boutique Hotel
Address: 14 Queen St, Woollahra
(Crossroad Oxford St – near Paddington Markets)
Parking on Queen Street or Oxford St
Time: 5-7 p.m. sharing news and views
7- 10 p.m. Party with gourmet pizza and nibbles
Cost: $25 plus buy your own drinks
Booking: [email protected]
PH; 02 9363 4863
Congratulations Chris Cheng for being elected onto the SCBWI Board.
On the board are wonderful US publishers like Bonnie Bader and Arthur Levine and authors like Ellen Hopkins New York best selling YA writer and Linda Sue Park a Newbery Award winner.
Linda Sue just emailed me that her new book is being published in Australia by UQP - A Long Walk to Water.
It is the first of Linda Sue’s books to be published in Australia. It is based on the life of a Sudanese refugee and a friend of linda Sue
Chris and I are co RAs (head) of SCBWI Australia & New Zealand and the board election is an acknowledgement of the significane of our region in children’s writing.
!
The buzz is mega with some of Australia and New Zealand’s most loved authors and illustrators as delegates – Sarah Davis, Libby Hathon, Stephen Axelson, Corinne Fenton, Claire Saxby, Mark Greenwood, Dianne Wolfer, Sally Murphy, James Foley, Meredith Costain ….. and more ….
